The Only Exception
by kennedy ann
Summary: I blew my last chance, but I couldn't walk out of her life without the smallest sliver of hope. I blew every chance at happiness with her; it's no wonder she married him. Faberry/Quintana
1. Chapter 1

**There is a constant force in this world, to which I strongly believe is the sole reason we long for our soul mate. A social pull, if you will, that determines 99.9% of relationships. Gone are the days where you were married to a man of your father's choice, expected to raise his sons and let him marry off your daughters. Love no longer means financial security, kinship or treaty. We don't trade or barter for love, it is not learned over the length of a marriage and it is not forced onto the unwilling. In the modern world, love is a variable only you have the power to control. Is it an X, or Y? A man or a woman? Is he older or young? Is she shorter or taller? **

**In this world, it's all up to you. Now, am I the only person in this world who finds today's meaning of love completely daunting?**

**I digress… **

**Think of it from my, slightly terrified point of view. There are billions of people in this world, and the general consensus seems to be there is one person out there that is perfect for little old me. Did you know the odds of contracting polio, syphilis, cancer and AIDs in a single year are far greater than winning the lottery? **

**So my point? How am I, one human being in this world with no extraordinary talents or even a 6****th**** sense, supposed to find true love? **

**Would you believe me if I said I got lucky? After this schpeel I bet you'd think I'm insane for saying such a thing. To top it all off, what if I told you I spent almost every second of the time I knew her bullying her viciously? Because, as we all know, if you do manage to hit the lottery and find your "one", chances are you're A; not going to realize it, or B; you'll through it away. Well, I realized it alright, and I bullied her right into someone else's arms. **

**I know how to stop a wedding from proceeding though! Figured that one out when I got hit by a truck. See, no sensible girl would have the heart to tie the knot once they have found out you have been temporarily paralyzed from the waist down, while on your way to their wedding. It's a female thing, I think.**

**Once you get better, and the casts come off and your feet start to wiggle, the focus becomes less about you and recovery and back on said wedding. Which I'm currently at. Right… now…**

"**Aren't you going to do something about this?" Santana whispers harshly to me. Why Rachel made her on the brides maids is beyond me…**

"**Like what, S?" **

"**Um… I don't know… call a mac-truck to bulldoze this shame of a wedding? Worked last time."**

**She's right, it did. But that doesn't make it funny.**

"**Really, San? She wants to marry Finn, I've told her she shouldn't like… a thousand times. She isn't going to listen to me. Not like I'd deserve it anyways…"**

**What? I don't! **

"**Q, FYI you wanted to marry Finnessa at one point too. Please, I'm begging you to do something."**

"**It's not worth ruining the tentative friendship we've been working at. She only just accepted my friend request on Facebook! I'm not in the best position to stop this from happening right now!"**

"**Well, I sure as hell can't say anything, though I think I might throw-up if they start making Googley-eyes at each other…"**

**I can't help but smirk at the thought of Santana, my best friend, ruining my soul mates wedding buy ralfing all over the groom's tux. If I just keep my thoughts on this particular outcome, maybe I'll be able to make it out of here with my dignity intact.**

**Maybe.**

* * *

"**I told you, you should have done something…" I hear Santana sing-song into my ear. **

"**Yeah, just like I told you to drop the closet act when Britts told you she loved you, right? Oh wait, you didn't. Bummer!" There are some things I hate about my best friend, like when she's right and she knows it. But two can play that game…**

"**Britts isn't my soul mate, she's my first love. Completely different. Plus! If Rachel really is your soul mate, then you just did her an injustice my letting her marry Frankenteen and not you. Now she's settling for her first love. Not her soul mate."**

**Did I mention that I hate it when she's right? Well, I do.**

"**Let's just get this after party over with…" I grumble. I don't want to be here. I don't want to sit here watching the love of my life dance with her **_**husband, **_**god that makes me shiver, and eat cake from his face and moon all over him. We all know how this ends; we have seen the movies. She goes off to Cleveland for her sham of a honeymoon, where he proceeds to fill her with his tiny pork sword, probably without a condom on, and I sit in the reception halls' bathroom crying my eyes out. So, I say again, I don't want to be here.**

**The music is alright. Another glee wedding! Rachel has been bugging me to sing something to "Her and her new husband" for an hour now, and I have finally downed enough vodka to say yes. **

**The lighting is terrible, and the band is getting bored so when I take the small stage, stumbling a bit up the steps, I know not many people an interested in what I have to say.**

"**Rachel, this was a terrible mistake. And I still can't believe you went through with it. I'm not singing to the happy couple…" well, it looks like I have their attention now. "I'm only singing to you."**

**The slow strumming begins behind me and my body sways back and forth to the triple count rhythm. One, two, three… one, two, three…**

**She looks confused right now, like she has no idea why I have chosen this song. **

"**When I was younger I saw, my daddy cry and curse at the wind."**

**I grip the stand for a bit more support. **

"**He broke his own heart and I watched, as he tried to reassemble it.**

**And my momma swore that she would, never let, herself forget."**

**I cast a glance at my mother, tears forming in her eyes, because honestly, this song hits so close to home for us there is no way to hold back tears.**

"**And that was the day that I promised, I'd never sing of love, if it does not exist. **

**But darling, you are the only exception.**

**You are the only exception.**

**You are the only exception.**

**You are the only exception."**

**Rachel's face has gone from confusion, to anger and I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm singing to her **_**husband**_**.**

**Carefully I pull the mic from its hold, and make my way to the happy couple.**

"**Maybe I know somewhere, deep in my soul that love never lasts."**

**I can see Santana smiling at me. I guess she's glad I'm taking this risk, even if its two hours too late.**

"**And we've got to find other ways, to make it alone, but keep a straight face.**

**And I've always lived like this, keeping a comfortable distance."**

**I approach the girl of my dreams, my songstress at her table and look her dead in the eyes, cupping her cheek.**

"**And up until now I have sworn to myself that I'm content, with loneliness…**

**Because none of it was ever worth the risk!**

**But you are the only exception."**

**I grab her hand and pull her up to me. Finns face contorts to look as though he is fighting off gas pains.**

"**You are the only exception."**

**I'm looking so deep into her eyes I'm getting lost. As I close the distance between us I can see a glint of understanding behind her confused shade of brown.**

"**You are the only exception.**

**You are the only exception!"**

**I try my luck and drag her away from her table, away from her **_**husband**_** and onto the dance floor.**

"**I've got a tight grip on reality but I can't,**

**Let go of what's in front of me here!"**

**I'm cupping her face again and she seems lost. Whether it's in the music, or my eyes or her own thoughts I can't discern but I desperately try to guide her back.**

"**I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up.**

**Leave me with some kind of proof you're not a dream, whoooooooah!"**

**I've brought our foreheads together and we begin to sway back and forth. She's so close… I've never been this close to her before.**

"**You are the only exception.**

**You are the only exception.**

**You are the only exception. **

**You are the only exception!"**

**I let Santana Britney and Tina take over singing chorus and pull the mic from my lips.**

"**I love you, Rachel. I always have, and always will. If you ever feel even just the slightest bit for me, come find me. I will always be there, waiting."**

"**You are the only exception, and I'm on my way to believing."**

**I sing, only for her ears. **

"**Oh, and I'm on my way to believing."**

**The band plays the last note, and the room is silent. **

"**Find me." I whisper onto her lips, and I can see she is still in a state of shock and awe. **

**It's when I hear the first person cough that I know I need to get out of here; out of this room, out of this town and far away from this state. I run to the firehouse exit and Santana's already waiting for me with my purse and a cab. **

"**Thank you, San." I mutter out, rushing into the vehicle and wiping away fresh tears.**

"**Lima airport!" she calls to the driver. **

"**I have some clothes packed for us for the next couple of days. Judy's shipping all our shit tomorrow morning, okay?" she asks softly, pushing a piece of hair behind my ear.**

"**Mhmm… I just want to sleep…" I mumble. Worst. Night. Ever.**

* * *

**So... should I continue this? I have a pretty good idea where I'd like this to go so let me know. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

"Rachel! Get back here!"

Every time I hear my husband's voice I feel the need to induce vomiting.

"Finn Hudson, if you command me to do one more fucking thing I swear to you I will take everything from you in court!"

Is it unfair to threaten him with his cherry red Camero?

"You are still my wife for another 2 hours and you will obey me until I sign those damn papers, you hear?"

Nope. Not unfair at all.

"Hell no…" I grumble under my breath. I grab my purse and keys and without another word leave our small two bedroom house, slamming the door on my way out.

"Momma's taken you for a final spin." I smile deviously, climbing into the sports car and firing up the engine. Throwing it in first gear I lift off the clutch and gun it down our street, thanking Burt for insisting I learn to drive a manual transmission.

As I pull up to Stanley Law Firm I check my phone, unsurprised to find three missed, calls two voicemails and seven angry text messages from my soon-to-be ex-husband.

The firm is a nice one, light green walls surround me and lots of picture frames of local celebrities. I always thought I'd be among the Sue Sylvester's by now.

"Six years I let you take from me, Finn Hudson. I won't let you take a single day more."

I approach the cute secretary, I lean on her desk and smiling flakily.

"Good afternoon, my name is Rachel Berry and I'm here to sign my divorce papers. If you could please tell Mr. Stanley that I have a flight to catch in a few hours and would greatly appreciate if he could take me a few minutes early. It's urgent."

So… maybe this woman doesn't speak English.

"Great! I'll just see myself in." I turn to the door closest to her desk and walk in.

"Jessica, I told you I'm on a conference call." Mr. Stanley yells, covering the speaking part of his office phone.

"Oh, Mrs. Hudson-"

"That would be Ms. Berry, thank you."

"Ms. Berry… your… 37 minutes early."

"She didn't give me time to explain to her that your busy Mr. Stanley, and then she just barged in before I could get to her! I'm so sorry for the interruption." The tall brunette quickly rambled off.

"It's okay, Jessica. I was just about to hang up anyways… hey Joe, Hiram's daughter is here; I'll call you later."

You despise that this man knows your father. He's your lawyer, not a family friend…

"So, Ms. Berry, what brings you into my office so early?'

"I have a plane to catch in a few hours and need to get these documents signed ASAP. You understand. So if you could just procure all the papers that require my signature…"

"That is no problem. I have them right here, in fact." The suit says, pulling out a blue folder with the name "Hudson" in white taking up the header.

"Finally." I breathe out, a genuine smile gracing my face for the first time in months.

* * *

The city is every bit as amazing as it was five years ago. As soon as I step out of my taxi I'm assaulted with the smell of wetness, loud voices and long blonde hair in my face.

"Rachie! I'm so excited to see you!" I hear in my left ear, shouting from down the street still blasting in my right.

"Hey, Britt-britt!" is all I manage to get out before I'm being picked up and twirled around.

"I am so excited! Come on; let's get your bags upstairs."

She pulls me up two flights of stair, managing to carry all four of my bags at the same time and opens all three locks with three different keys.

"It's not much, but it's cozy. You have your own room and I bought all different kinds of vegan things for us to eat!"

I chuckle, because even though I'm not anything like the girl I use to be, some people actually manage to get through this world unchanged.

"That's so nice of you, Britt, but I'm actually not a vegan anymore." I know how expensive veganism can be, so I feel badly for not giving my old friend a heads up.

"Oh, how long have you been eating meat?" she asks conversationally, setting my bags in what I assume is going to be my bedroom for the next few months.

"Um… about three years now. Finn got tired of never eating the same meal. He said preparing two meals every time we sat down was expensive and unnecessary. I just stopped fighting it after awhile." I say, taking in my surroundings and mapping out the small apartment.

"I never liked him, and I always thought you were way too good for him. Now that you're in the city, are you going to go find Quinn?" she asks, so Brittney in her execution of delivery.

"I'm sure Quinn has moved on from me. A girl that beautiful doesn't stay heartbroken long."

Yes, I know I broke her heart when I didn't go after her that night. I was shocked! And by the time I got over being so shocked I was very much still married and had a husband to think about. Have I entertained the idea of going after her, begging her to give me a chance to see where things could lead? All the time. But something tells me she would laugh in my face and then get her husband or wife to remove me from her presence without a single glance.

"Oh, she is so much more beautiful now. Growing up really did her wonders. But I wouldn't say she's really moved on at all." Brittney say's, and it peeks my interest. A little prodding couldn't hurt…

"Does she… live in the city?" I ask, tentatively.

"Yup, in the village. I saw her at an art show she was writing an article for a couple months ago. She asked about you, wanted to know how you were doing in Lima. She never goes back there; Judy always comes here for holidays."

"Oh really? Well, that's good. She lives in the village, so she's still… um, gay?"

"Oh yes. She's totally Lebanese." Her statement confuses me at first, but I quickly figure out she meant lesbian and continue my gentle prodding.

"Is she… seeing anyone?" I ask, not that care or anything.

Oh, shut it.

"Yup, Quinn and Santana have been together for like, three years now. It's so awesome." She says with a large smile.

I'm not entirely sure if my heart feels like its breaking because she's in a long term relationship with someone who isn't me, or if it's because the girl taking up the space in her heart is Santana. I go for the later and excuse myself to go wash up.

"Okie Rachie, I'll make us some dinner before my shift starts. This whole starving artist thing is really hard…"

* * *

"San! I'm home!" I hear after the slam of a heavy door.

"I'm in the bedroom!" I call out, putting the finishing touches on my term paper before I let Quinn take a once over.

"Hey baby, you still working on that dreadful thing?" I hear from behind me, I crack my neck and feel some of the tension there release. Two warm hands press themselves to the back of my neck and the warmth followed by continuous pressure makes the pain disappear for the time being.

"Almost done." I tiredly mumble, craning my neck around to greet my girlfriends lips. They are warm and make me feel fuzzy. After three and a half years Quinn still gets that floating feeling out of me every time we kiss.

"Good." She mumbles against your parted lips. "I'll be in the shower if you need me. My boss had me do a piece on public landfills in Staten Island so I feel like the swamp thing."

"Hmmm… shower time… eh? I could use a break I guess…" I say, a mischievous grin donning my face.

"Well, there is always room for you to join… my God you are so fucking sexy…"

Her eye brow is doing that thing. You know that thing, where it arches like, two inches up, and it makes her eyes smile but her lips stay the same so she look sexy and serious at the same time. Well, that's my weak spot. Everyone knows that is my weak spot.

"I'll be right in, Q." I say. I know I have to finish editing this, and I only have one page left.

"I'm counting on it…" she says. I rush through the last page, probably missing most of my errors and quickly strip myself on the way to our bathroom. As soon as I enter, I'm assaulted with steam, foggy mirrors and a very naked Quinn standing under the shower head, messaging shampoo into her chin length blonde hair.

"Fuck…" I whisper. She senses my presences and gives me that look again. As I make my way into the shower I am over come with lust for this woman in front of me. Three years and seven months, and she's still everything I've ever wanted in a woman. And so much more then I can handle…

* * *

Oh my God… Quinn's dating Santana. She's been dating Santana for three years. Three fucking years! How could I ever compete with Santana? I mean, she is literally the most beautiful girl I have ever seen after Quinn. It would kind of make sense that they would end up with each other, considering there really isn't aren't woman on this island that could astatically compete with either.

What am I going to do?

* * *

"Quinn…"

"Yeah, San?"

"I love you… so much."

"Oh really… how much?"

I turn around and gaze into the brown eyes I've given myself to for so many years. There is a glint of mischief in them, and the sight thrills me to my core. Santana always manages to light a fire in me, even with the most mundane parts of our relationship.

"This much…" she whispers. I feel something cold sliding on me finger; my left ring finger to be exact. I'm beyond shocked. Between the look in her eyes, the bright one karat diamond solitare on my finger, and the happiness I feel swell in my chest I am speechless.

"San…" is all I manage to get out. She looks somewhere between anxious and terrified and the longer we lay here in silence, the more terrified she seems to get.

"Please say yes… I know I'm not your "soul mate", I'm not Rachel. But I truly believe that you are mine. I would do absolutely anything to be yours. Hell, I am already yours! Just… please say yes. Make me one happy lady and be my wife."

Only an hour ago we were passionately fucking each other in our shower and now I find myself naked, in our bed with the most beautiful ring I've ever seen gracing my finger, and the woman who has loved me for years asking me for a lifetime more. There's really only one logical answer to her unspoken question, and I answer it with a searing kiss.

"Yes." It's breathless, and light and full of so much emotion but it's a yes and the look on her face goes from terrified, to ecstatic in a millisecond.

"Yes?" she questions softly, our foreheads braced against each other, and I can see the hesitation in her eyes that clearly says 'maybe this could be too good to be true. '

"Yes!" I laugh out. "I don't need anyone but you, San."

"Oh thank God." She says, exhaling a breath she'd been holding onto.

I turn around to face the other way and reach into my night stand's drawer and pull out a diamond encrusted band. It's intricate and unique, just like my girlfriend, and such a contrast to my simple elegant one that I can't help but think we might be perfect for each other.

I hold it up in the light between us, so we can both admire it.

"Quinn… were you going to propose?" she asks, her voice betraying her with its unsteadiness.

"Yes. Wasn't sure how or when, but I have known for a while that you belong in my life forever. Nothing says that better than asking you to be mine."

"Well, in that case… I would love to be Mrs. Santana Maria Fabrey." she says shyly, and it's the cutest thing I have ever seen. This side of my girlfriend, the one no one in the world gets to see but me, the venerable romantic side, that's why I want to marry her. Because I can't imagine a day without it present in my life.

"I was thinking of taking your name though… I mean Lucy Quinn Lopez doesn't sound too bad…"

"We can talk more about this later; as long as I get my tax break I don't much care what people call me." I roll my eyes and train a fierce, uplifted eyebrow in her direction. She isn't Rachel. She is the woman who picked me up and pieced me back together when I was at my lowest. She's the only person who has seen all my skeletons and has help fight off all of my demons. She's helped carry my baggage of years now, and she loves me more than anyone ever has. She is defiantly not Rachel; she's so much better.

* * *

Bueno?


End file.
